The present invention relates generally to submersible motors and fluid pumps. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method of removably coupling and adapting a motor to a fluid pump of differing size.
It is generally known in the fluid handling arts to provide a fluid pump driven by a motor in order to effect the bulk transfer of fluid. Such fluid handling systems are used in industrial, commercial and residential applications such as mining, oil field exploration, turf and agricultural irrigation, municipal water handling systems, fountains, golf courses, sump pumps, etc. Typically, both the pump and motor used in these systems are submersed in the fluid to be pumped.
A typical fluid handling system may utilize what is known in the art as a 4xe2x80x3 pump driven by what is known in the art as a 4xe2x80x3 motor. A 4xe2x80x3 pump may be desirable in many situations, and suited to fit operational requirements (e.g. high pressure output, cost constraints, size constraints, etc.). Similarly, other fluid pumping systems may utilize what is known in the art as a 6xe2x80x3 pump driven by what is known in the art as a 6xe2x80x3 motor in situations where the 6xe2x80x3 pump is more suited to fit other operational requirements (e.g. higher fluid flow rates, improved ability to handle sand and debris, power requirements, etc.).
These systems typically connect the pump to the motor by a xe2x80x9cdirect-mountxe2x80x9d connection (e.g. bolting the pump and motor bodies directly to each other, the pump and motor bodies being a one piece construction, etc.). Such systems typically include a motor shaft powered in rotation by the motor. The motor shaft rotation is used to drive various stages of impellers within the pump module by engaging the pump shaft. The motor shaft directly engages the pump shaft with an engagement portion formed on the motor shaft. In these typical configurations, the motor shaft is directly coupled to the pump shaft.
Such systems have several disadvantages. One such disadvantage is some systems which employ a direct connection between the motor shaft and the pump shaft may experience failures including shaft breakage or shaft failure. One possible reason for the shaft failure is the motor will not always output a constant level of torque to the pump shaft. The motor may rapidly change the torque output, thereby transmitting a spike or impulse of torque to the pump shaft. These transmitted spikes or impulses of torque can result in damaging and perhaps breaking the pump shaft.
Other typical systems engage the motor shaft to the pump shaft with an intervening two-piece coupling. In these systems, a male portion of the motor shaft engages an outer sleeve, the first piece of the two-piece coupling. The outer sleeve then engages an inner shaft, the second piece of the two-piece coupling. The inner shaft then engages a female socket on the pump shaft.
Such systems also have several disadvantages. One such disadvantage is systems which employ a two-piece coupling may also experience failures including shaft breakage or shaft failure. One possible reason for such failures is the two piece design introduces additional required parts. Each part has an associated machining tolerance or error. By introducing additional required parts, machining tolerances and errors are increased. Tolerances and errors result in systems with more imprecision in the parts and thereby increase failure rates. For example, machining tolerances and errors may result in an eccentricity or imbalance in the motor and pump shaft structures. The stresses placed on the motor and pump shaft structures by the imbalance increases with shaft rotation speed. The stresses caused by the imbalance may reach a high enough level to cause failure in the pump shaft.
Both the direct connection and the two-piece coupling systems have further disadvantages. Under similar operating conditions, a 6xe2x80x3 motor will typically have a longer operational life expectancy that will a 4xe2x80x3 motor. If a 4xe2x80x3 motor fails, it may be desirable to keep the present pump (for reasons such as feasibility of removing pump, cost, performance characteristics of the current pump, etc.), and replace the motor with one of longer life expectancy (i.e. a 6xe2x80x3 motor).
Both the direct connection and the two-piece coupling systems are not well suited to allow easy replacement of one motor to a motor of differing diameter without simultaneously replacing the pump as well. Furthermore, these systems are not well suited to physically adapt a new 6xe2x80x3 motor to an existing 4xe2x80x3 pump such that the 6xe2x80x3 motor is capable of driving the 4xe2x80x3 pump. Furthermore, current systems are not well suited to allow a motor and pump to be readily disconnected, and allow a user to change between various motors and pumps.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide an adapter which would allow a user to readily replace one motor to a motor of differing diameter without simultaneously replacing the pump. There is also a need to provide an adapter which would be capable of adapting a 6xe2x80x3 motor to a 4xe2x80x3 pump such that the 6xe2x80x3 motor is capable of driving the 4xe2x80x3 pump. It would be desirable to provide an adapter capable of fulfilling one or more of these or other needs.
The teachings hereinbelow extend to those embodiments which fall within the scope of the appended claims, regardless of whether they accomplish one or more of the above mentioned needs.
The present invention relates to an adapter capable of rotatably coupling a motor shaft to a pump shaft of differing diameter, thereby allowing torque which is developed in a motor to be transmitted to a pump.
The present invention also relates to an adapter capable of rigidly coupling a motor housing to a pump housing, minimizing relative movement between motor and pump and thereby reducing wear and allowing smooth torque transmission from motor to pump.
The present invention further relates to an adapter for coupling a motor to a pump having a collar, the collar being removably coupled to a motor housing and a pump housing; the motor housing and pump housing having a differing diameter. The adapter further includes a drive coupler disposed within an internal cavity formed in the collar. The drive coupler includes a socket configured to engage a motor shaft, and a shaft configured to engage a pump shaft where the motor and pump shafts are of differing diameters.
The present invention further relates to a method of adapting a motor to a pump. The method includes providing a collar being removably coupled to a motor housing and a pump housing; the motor housing and pump housing having a differing diameter. The method further includes providing a drive coupler disposed within an internal cavity formed in the collar. The drive coupler includes a socket configured to engage a motor shaft, and a shaft configured to engage a pump shaft where the motor and pump shafts are of differing diameters.